Temper-screw.



J. C. KAHLB.

TEMPER SCREW.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 20, 1911.

1,018,910, 7 Patented Feb. 27, 1912.

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JAMES C. KAHLE, OF OIL CITY, PENNSYLVANIA.

TEMPER-SCREW.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 27,1912.

Application filed April 20, 1911. Serial No. 622,271.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs C. KAHLE, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Oil City, in the county of Venango and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTemper-Screws, of which the fol lowing is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to temper screws used in connection with welldrilling machinery for feeding or paying out the drilling cable duringthe drilling operations.

The object of my invention is to furnish a temper screw with positiveand reliable means, in a manner as will be hereinafter set forth, forautomatically feeding the screw, thereby relieving a well driller of there sponsibility, obviate the exacting attention heretofore required, andpreventing injury to drilling machinery by what is commonly styledpounding which causes considerable jarring detrimental to a machine orderrick.

It is the present practice for the operator of a well drilling machineto adjust the temper screw as his wisdom best dictates, it often being amatter of instinct with the experienced and guess work with theinexperienced. To successfully and expeditiously drill a well it isessential that the drilling be performed in an economical manner withthe least possible wear upon the drilling tools, cables, machine and'derrick. The well driller must use the utmost care to protect thedrilling tools and cables in adjusting the feeding screw, and even whenthe best judgment is used, it is often necessary for the driller toleave the feed screw to devote his attention to other matters. It isduring this period of absence that the most serious damage is done. As

I an example, the drilling tools may be boring through a stratum ofindurate shale of an unknown depth, and it is the practice for a drillerto let out the temper screw whereby the drilling can be continued duringhis absence. It may be immediately upon the driller departing that thetools break through the stratum and either enter a very soft-shale or acavity. In either instance, the entire weight of the string of tools issuspended from the drilling cable, thus overloading the drilling machineand where such cavities are encountered, the drilling cable is subjectedto considerable wear and often breaking against the stratum of shale.

My invention a ims to obviate the above defects by providing a feedscrew that will be automatically fed, after having been once set, directfrom the bottom of the well. In other words, the progress made at thebottom of the well by the drilling tools will govern the feeding of thetemper screw, without any slack in the drilling cable and without unduepounding.

It is the self-feeding feature of my invention to which I attachconsiderable importance, and with this understanding of the broadprinciple of the invention, reference will now be had to the drawing,wherein there is illustrated one embodiment of the invention, but it isto be understood that the structural elements thereof are susceptible tosuch variations and modifications as fall within the scope of theappended claims.

In the drawing :Figure 1 is a side elevation of a temper screw providedwith my improvement, Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view ofthe temper screw, and Fig. 8 is an enlarged side elevation of a portionof the same.

In order that my invention can be fully.

understood, I have illustrated a complete temper screw of a conventionalform, comprising a head 1 adapted to be suspended from a walking beam,arms 2 carried by said head, jaws 3 carried by the lower ends of saidarms and adapted .to engage a screw 4 and a clamp 5 carried by the lowerend of the screw and adapted to hold the drilling cable during thedrilling operation.

My improvement is first in connection with the screw 4, which has theunder side of the threads thereof beveled at a greater inclination, asat 6 than the upper sides of the threads, the jaws 3 of the arms 2 beingcorrespondingly beveled whereby the screw will have a tendency, due tothe weight supported by the same, to descend by gravity, such movementof the screw being accomplished and given sufiicient impetus by thevibrations of the temper screw when in operation.

Secured to one of the jaws 3 by set screws 7 or other fastening means isa yoke 8 hav-- the outer end thereof provided with a split boss 9, saidboss and said yoke having a longitudinal opening 10 with the wallsthereof screw threaded. The other jaw 3 of the temper screw is providedwith a transverse groove 11 for a block 12 arranged within the yoke 8,said block having the up per and lower edges thereof provided withoutwardly extending lugs 18 holding a curved spring 14. Engaging theouter side of this spring is the inner end of a screw 15 adjustablymounted in the opening 10 and the outer end of said screw has a crank orhandle 16. To fix the screw 15 relatively to the yoke 18, the lockinglever or jam nut 17 is employed, which is adj ustably mounted upon theexterior tapering and screw threaded surface 18 0f the boss 9.

The resiliency of the spring 14 and the degree of tension under which itis maintained by the screw 15 determines the selffeeding or adjustmentof the screw 4 be tween the jaws 3. When the screw 15 is adjusted andlocked to hold the spring 14 under considerable tension, the jaw 3engaged by the block 12 is more firmly held in engagement with thescrew, consequently the screw cannot feed as rapidly as though thetension upon the spring 1a was released. It is through the medium of thescrew 15 that a well driller can regulate the selffeeding of the screw,particularly when the drilling operations at the bottom of a well areunderstood by the driller and the nature of the strata of earthencountered.

What I claim is 1. In a temper screw, a screw having the under sides ofthe threads thereof beveled, jaws adapted to engage said screw, a yokecarried by one of said jaws, and a spring pressed block arranged in saidyoke and adapted to engage the other of said jaws.

2. In a temper screw, a screw having the under sides of the threadsthereof beveled,

and including a screw for regulating the engagement of the jaws withsaid screw to control the feed of the latter.

4. In a temper screw, jaws, a screw adapted to feed by gravity throughsaid jaws, a yoke carried by one of said jaws, and an adjustable cushionmeans extending in one of said jaws and guided by the arms of the yokefor regulating the feeding of said screw.

5. In a temper screw, a threaded feeding element, a pair of jaws forfeeding said element by gravity, means engaging one of said jaws forregulating the feed of said screw and including a block, a springengaging said block, an adjusting means adapted to be locked inengagement with said spring, and a yoke supporting the other of saidjaws and guiding said regulating means and further supporting saidadjusting element.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

JAMES C. KAHLE.

Witnesses:

DORSEY P. KAHLE, LEE A. MoCRAoKEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

